-
Faith was calm despite the fact that her adrenaline was at full blast and she felt sweat beading on her forehead. She glanced to both sides of her and watched as the two vampires came rushing towards her at opposite directions. Timing was everything. She knew she couldn’t strike too soon.
The vampires were now close enough. She felt her two stakes that were up her sleeves slide forward into her hands. She raised her arms just as they were about to grab her. The points of her wooden weapons pierced through their chests and stabbed through their hearts.
“Now who’s next?” Faith asked. She had staked a good handful of the creatures tonight.
A vampire tumbled past her. She smiled knowing she had something else to kill but her joy was cut off when Tyler pounced onto the vampire. A few seconds later and the demon was dusted.
“Cut into my joy, why don’t you?” Faith asked.
“Sorry about that,” Tyler said. “I have been chasing him for a while and kicking his ass along the way. I think I may have tenderized him a bit.”
“Bah,” Faith dismissed that idea with a wave. “I want a nice fresh one to wear down.” Killing ones that have been weakened or exhausted takes the fun out of the slaying.
“You might have your chance,” Tyler said he pointed behind her.
Faith turned around to see a vampire standing on a large rock. She grabbed her stakes and was bout to jump up to fight him when the demon was dusted from behind. As the dust settled she could see Xander looking down at them while lowering the crossbow rifle.
“This is getting annoying,” Faith said. She and Lyra had been through a few dull nights looking for things to kill in graveyards. Xander had suggested looking through someplace a little more peaceful, a place where people might actually show up and they came to the park and that was when they found a nice large group of vampires. The only problem for her was that several of the kids were getting better with the killing.
“I’m sorry?” Xander said in a confused tone.
“Gah,” Ace shouted.
“Sounds like Ace is in trouble,” Xander said.
“He always sounds like that,” Tyler said. “Then of course he is always in trouble.”
“Talk less, kill more.” Faith took off in the direction of the yell and came across Ace and Ronnie trying to pin down a vampire with a great amount of difficulty.
Ronnie removed a slender stake from her pocket and shoved it into the vampire’s chest. The vampire screamed in pain but did not die. She had missed. Ace pulled it out and shoved it back in. This time he got the heart.
“Damn,” Faith said.
“Yeah,” Ronnie said as she stood back up. “I should have aimed better.”
“Good thing I was here,” Ace told her. He did not sound cocky. “Good thing we were all here.”
Faith gritted her teeth. They were becoming competent fighters but they were not Slayers. Safety in numbers was a good thing. Ronnie might have been snack food without Ace and visa versa. She should not be pissed that they were all getting the job done. She felt a little bit guilty that she had felt angry.
“Are there any more?” Ronnie asked.
“I don’t think so,” Faith said. She turned when she heard Xander and Tyler catch up. “I think we should do one last sweep before we call it a night.”
“Sounds good,” Xander said. “Everyone together as we walk.”
“I think I almost achieved my goal,” Tyler said as he led his two friends.
“What would that be?” Ace asked.
“I’m trying to find a nerve point in each limb so when I hit them there they can’t move that limb.”
“You are Ty-ler not Ty-lee,” Ronnie told him.
“Nobody said it couldn’t be done.”
“I think we have a pretty good team going,” Xander said as he walked along with Faith.
“Too bad Little Star had to miss it,” Faith said. She knew Lyra was on another date with Unicorn Boy.
“It is her one night of the week where she can date,” Xander said. “I’m surprised you didn’t say anything to her about men failing and all that blather.”
Faith shrugged. “Everyone eventually finds out on their own. How about you and Regine?”
“Been on a couple of dates,” Xander said. “Had a nice dinner and another night we went through City Walk.”
“You don’t think things might get serious between the two of you?”
He shrugged. “I have no idea at this point.”
“Have you noticed things are getting serious between Lyra and her boyfriend?”
“Serious? Nah they are just friend dating.”
“Wow,” Faith just stared at him. “Are you blind in both eyes? That girl is in love with him. Have you noticed the way she gushes about him and how she lights up when his name is mentioned?”
“I thought she was just brightening up because of the idea of a date.”
“Yes, with him.” Faith shook her head. “He just better not disappoint her.”
-
“And the light streamed in through the holes and killed him,” Charley finished his small tale on how he and Peter killed Dandridge. He and Lyra were walking around Lake Eola and enjoying ice cream cones.
“Your first vampire killing experience,” Lyra said before she took another lick of her mint chocolate chip. “I love hearing about that story again.”
“I’m surprised you are not bored of that yet.” He had told her the story several times before and she just liked listening to it.
“I guess I like hearing the way you tell it.” She paused to take a few more licks. “It causes me to picture you as a dashing hero, not that you aren’t.”
“You think I’m dashing?” Charley had to pause. He never would have seen himself as some sort of dashing hero.
“You are to me.”
“I don’t know what to say to that.” He took a few more licks from his own pistachio cone. Ice cream did not taste as sweet to him as it did when he was human but he still liked it. “I don’t know what to compare you to. You are so you and I love that.”
“You love that?” Lyra asked.
“I love the way that you talk. The way you act. I love how you want to protect the innocent. I love how you protect the innocent. I love your voice, the way that you laugh. I love your hair, your eyes, your smile.” He closed his eyes. “I love you, Lyra.”
“You love me?” She blinked. “I uh wow. You love uh me and wow.” She was blushing. “I never had a guy say that to me before.” She took a deep breath. “Well not say it and mean it. Last April my old boyfriend, Rick, he did but he only wanted to get into my pants and I refused and a few days later he just dumped me like that.”
“He was a jerk,” Charley said and suddenly wanted to find this Rick and either beat the crap out of him or drain him, possibly both. “I’m sorry he hurt you.”
“Felt like a stake through my own heart,” Lyra said and shook her head. “Didn’t take me long to realized the jackass didn’t want a real girlfriend. He just wanted another notch on the bedpost.”
“He would have broken up either way?” Charley asked. He knew assholes like that back when he was in high school.
“Exactly. I’m sorry I’m bringing us both down on our love happy high.”
“You don’t need to apologize for that,” Charley told her. He blinked when he realized she didn’t say you our your. “You said us and our?”
“Yeah,” she smiled. “I’m also getting all heart fluttery here.” She pointed at her chest. “I love being with you and hearing your stories. I love your voice and your eyes and your smile. I thought was falling but now I’m wrong. I have fallen hard. I am in love with you.”
He stared deep into her eyes. “The best night was when we moved and I met you.”
“I’ll never forget that night you came to my rescue.” She paused to finger her cross. “I was so confused and scared.” She looked into his eyes before she closed her own and pursed her lips slightly.
Charley leaned forward. Her lips touched his. They were cold from the ice cream, yet soft. He could smell and taste the chocolate and mint. He could also smell her favorite perfume and her shampoo and conditioner. He never wanted the kiss to stop but after a few seconds they separated.
“Wow,” Lyra sighed.
“Yeah,” Charley agreed. He wanted to kiss her again.
“I feel alive,” Lyra said as she skipped ahead. “I’ve had boyfriends before, but they never lasted. I never had been in love like this.” She twirled around. “I’m in love with Charley Brewster. Charley Brewster loves me.”
“Don’t spin away from me,” Charley said in a half joking tone. “You will go out of orbit.”
“Not so.” She twirled back. “I will always return to you.”
He caught her and held her into a deep embrace. They kissed again and continued their walk, This time with his arm around her shoulders.
“The stars are shining real bright tonight,” Lyra commented. “They seem more beautiful than before.”
“Yes they do.” Charley stared up at the sky. He could barley see the stars considering they were in downtown but he could understand why they were brighter to her. He also took notice of the moon. “The moon is a perfect crescent tonight.”
“It certainly is. I just realized something. You are my Tuxedo Mask.”
“I am?” He knew who she was talking about. The character was the boyfriend of the anime heroine Sailor Moon. The guy always showed up at the right moment to assist the girl he loved.
“Yes you are,” Lyra confirmed. “We are about to come up on the pagoda.”
Charley looked ahead and saw the two-tiered pagoda. He enjoyed all the different sights of the lake. He had already seen the beautiful color changing fountain and where the swan boats had docked. The pagoda was more of a gazebo that had the roof styled to resemble the Asian structure. There were two people underneath it making out.
“Hey stop,” the girl said. “Ouch.”
“Hey,” Charley shouted. “Leave her alone.” He and Lyra walked up to them.
“Mind your own business,” the guy said. His forehead was raised. His eyes were golden and he had fangs.
“Never leave home without it,” Lyra said as she reached into her bag. She pulled out a stake and ran up the vampire. She blocked one arm with a kick but he smacked her in the face with his fist, causing her to drop the stake.
“Lyra,” Charley shouted. He struck the vampire in the head from behind while Lyra retrieved her weapon. He grabbed the vampire and held onto him.
“Got it.” Lyra staked him. “I was hoping not to mix business with pleasure.”
“Are you okay?” Charley asked. He did not have to worry about the victim. She had already run off. “He hit you pretty hard.”
“I’m fine,” She said. “Slayer strength.”
“Good.” He ran his finger under her chin and leaned in for another kiss. This time her lips were warm and wet. It only took him a second to realize that it was blood. He felt his fangs lengthen as he licked her lips.
“Whoa,” Lyra stepped back. “Not sure if I’m ready for that yet.”
“Sorry,” Charley turned around.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
“Charley, there is something wrong.” She grabbed his face and looked at him. “Oh my god!” Her eyes were widened with fear.
“Lyra, I’m sorry.”
“You’re a vampire.”
“I’m not evil.” He closed his eyes. He heard her running. “Lyra, wait.” He bolted ahead and appeared in front of her. “Let me explain.”
“Explain what?” Lyra asked. Her eyes were watering. “You’re a vampire and you didn’t tell me?”
“I wanted to, but something held me back.”
“Why? You are one of the ones that have souls. I wouldn’t have killed you.”
“I’m sorry.” He reached for her and she slapped his hands away.
“Stay away from me.”
“Lyra I love you and-“
“Don’t say that.”
“But it’s true.”
“If you loved me then you would have said something.” She took a step away from him. “Leave me alone.”
“Let me take you home.”
“No.” She was crying. “Just leave me alone.”
Charley didn’t move. He didn’t say anything and watched her run off. He blew it.
-
Faith didn’t feel like putting a bra back on after she got out of the shower. She didn’t feel like putting on anything. She decided to skimp on the underwear entirely and put on a simple pair of sleep shorts and an old slightly threadbare large t-shirt. She wrapped her hair into a towel and walked out, ready to just sit back with her music and a beer.
“Are you serious?” Xander asked. He was on the phone with someone. He looked confused. “Well I guess in that case it is good you walked away. Don’t worry I’ll be there to pick you up.”
“What’s wrong?” Faith asked as soon as Xander got off the phone.
“I need to go downtown,” Xander explained as he put his phone away. “Lyra needs a ride home.”
“Ugh,” Faith closed her eyes. She hated being right. She knew Unicorn Boy was too good to be true. “Do I need to sharpen some stakes?”
“Actually you might,” Xander said. He wasn’t joking. He was completely serious.
“I was joking. It’s not like he’s a vampire.”
“Actually he is,” Xander said. “The other kind but still trouble.”
“Really?” Faith blinked. “He’s been one all this time or was he just turned a few nights ago?”
“I have no idea.” Xander said. He grabbed his keys. “I just want this guy to stay away from her.”
-
Faith wanted to go and stake Unicorn Boy, or at least kick his ass for what he did to Lyra. She felt the younger Slayer was like a little sister and she did not want to see her get hurt by anyone. Since physical harm was out of discussion she tried to cheer up Lyra. She called her to see if she wanted to go get milkshakes but Lyra just needed some alone time for a while.
Sunday afternoon Lyra called Xander and said she was in the mood to go patrolling They were taken to the University of Central Florida to look for the blood suckers. Faith wasn’t sure if Lyra would wear her costume or not and did not have any reaction when Slayer Star had shown up for duty.
“Do you want to talk about it?” Faith asked as the two walked around together?
“So confused,” Lyra sighed.
“Men cause that to happen.”
“I see stuff around my room,” Lyra said. “I see the napkin from bowling alley we went to that I pinned to my corkboard. I look at the prizes I won at the arcade when I was with him. Every time I turn on the radio I think of him because the song reminds me of him or we danced to it.”
“Lay off the music for a while,” Faith said. “Throw that stuff away.”
“I can’t.” She stopped and stared at Faith. “Right before I found out what he was he told me he loved me and I told him I loved him. We kissed and everything was perfect.”
“Never fall in love. They will always disappoint you.”
“I don’t know what to think anymore.” She grabbed her head. “I’m pissed at him that he kept his secret for so long. I can understand why. Even though he is the other kind from the other dimension that got merged it still cannot be. He’s a vampire and I’m a Slayer. We can’t fall in love or date or anything like that.”
“Um,” Faith stared up. She had no idea how to start this.
“What does that mean?” Lyra asked. “They are evil and we have to kill them because they are demons without souls.”
“Except for two,” Faith said. “And the both were in love with a Slayer.”
“Two vampires and two Slayers in the whole history?”
“Recently and only one Slayer.”
“Wow,” Lyra gasped. “I have got to meet this girl.” She shook her head. “My heart still aches.”
“We will move on. Your life should not be defined by a man or by love.”
“Have you been in love before?” Lyra asked. “Sorry if it is difficult or you don’t want to talk.”
Faith shrugged. “I’m five by five with it. I actually have fallen before. I told him he’d leave me and he proven me wrong.”
“Are you still with him?”
“Not anymore.” Faith stared at the ground.
“Is it…” She trailed off. “I think I saw something.” She ran straight ahead.
“It’s because I left him,” Faith said softly. “Because he deserved better.” She took off on a run after Lyra.
Lyra tripped over a root on the ground. Even when she stumbled in that get up it looked somewhat heroic. She did not seem disappointed that she tripped but rather horrified.
“You okay?” Faith crouched down next to her.
“Not really.” She pointed at what she tripped on. It wasn’t a root it was an arm. There were two corpses under the tree. They both had their heads attached, and there were no bite marks on their necks.
“Get away from there.” A loud voice boomed as flashlights struck them. “This is an investigation scene. No one without a badge is allowed to be here.”
“Shit,” Faith stood back up and turned to the cops. She raised her hands.
“You’re not in trouble,” one of the cops said. He was dressed in a suit and had a head full of salt and pepper hair and wore thick glasses. “Just need you and your friend to get out of the area.”
“Detective Calders?” Lyra asked.
“Hello Miss Super Hero,” the younger of the two greeted them. This was the vampire detective that Lyra met the other day. “Hynamen I’m going to walk them out, make sure they are okay. People tend to get shaken up when they come across something like this.”
The other man nodded. “I’ll let you know what we find.”
“Come with me,” the vampire detective said. He lead them out of the area while the bright yellow police tape was set up. “There has been a string of murders in this area.”
“Vampires?” Lyra asked.
“Not mine or the other kind,” Calders said. “This has been leaving us baffled.”
“Regular human on human crime?” Faith asked.
Calders shook his head. “It always goes after couples. Then a few days ago it was just a single man. His girlfriend managed to get away. She said they were attacked while they were making out. She said she felt long ropes that were made out of rubbery meat and covered in slime brush against her. She swore she saw her boyfriend being pulled beneath the dirt.”
“Why are you telling us this?” Lyra asked.
“I know one of you is a Slayer,” Calders aid.
“We both are,” Faith told him. “How do you know what we are if you are the other kind?”
“I have heard a few things,” Calders said. “Then I know you might be able to find out what this thing is. Despite my being a creature of the night we still don’t have an X-Files department.” He turned around and headed back to the crime scene.
“What do we do now?” Lyra asked.
“Report and research.”
-